Harris Farm Markets coming in to land at Canberra Airport next year

One of the nation’s biggest homes for fresh food and local produce, Harris Farm Markets, is coming to the Majura Park in the Canberra Airport precinct in 2023.

The first in the Territory, it will join existing supermarkets and wholesalers at the precinct such as Costco, Woolworths and Aldi to create a one-stop grocery destination.

Canberra Airport head of property Richard Snow said the airport was delighted to be partnering with Harris Farm Markets to build the store, the latest of almost 30 locations across Australia.

“It is a fantastic addition to our growing retail precinct and they will complement our existing grocery offering,” Mr Snow said.

Harris Farm Markets in Canberra will be focused on locally-grown produce and operate seven days a week.

“We’re going to have a real focus on high quality produce that is locally sourced and accessible in a really nice and easy environment,” Mr Snow said.

“I think they [Harris Farm Markets] are going to be something a little more unique compared to the existing Fyshwick Markets, which are typically run by multiple different tenants.”

All the retailers are going to be run by one operator.

“Canberra’s always growing, so I think you always need to have a growing retail offering to cater for it … so it’s really exciting for us to appeal to the Canberra market,” Mr Snow said.

The store will offer fresh fruit and vegetables with locally grown and organic options, a deli and fish shop featuring extensive seafood and meats and an artisan bakery.

There will also be a juice bar, a self-serve nut bar, a flower market and potentially a café, all under one roof.

The construction of the new 4500 sqm building will begin mid next year and add to 29 Harris Farm Markets across Australia.

It aims to open over the 2023 Christmas period.

Harris Farm Markets co-CEO Tristan Harris said he looked forward to working with so many wonderful growers and makers in Canberra.

“We’re so excited about finally opening in the ACT; we have been trying to get into Canberra for ages as it’s a terrific market,” Mr Harris said.

“There’s a lot of customers that are really into fresh food, and right now we sell online in Canberra and are shipping out of Sydney, so this will be our opportunity to get down there and serve Canberra.

“My dad used to have shops down in Canberra back in the day, so we know it’s a really good market.”

Mr Harris said while it had been challenging to find the right spot, Majura Park retail precinct location had the scale and accessibility they were looking for.

The market will offer upward of 120 jobs for the local ACT community, and Mr Harris said many of the products sold would be directly from farmers and producers from local farmers’ markets.

“We go around to the farmers’ markets and find people making great products and then ask them if they want to start with us, rather than just selling one day a week at a farmers market, as we’re open seven days a week,” Mr Harris said.

“The store at Majura Park will allow us to showcase local flavours and, being purpose-built, will also allow us to design and create a store of the future – to celebrate all this edible goodness, which is what we have been doing as a business for over 50 years.

“Majura Park is an exciting precinct, and we are proud to be involved.”